AVG-19 was named Prince William for a sound, or inlet, 70 miles wide, 30 miles N off the Gulf of Alaska, E of Kenai Peninsula. The sound was named by Captain Cook, RN, in 1778.

Designated for transfer to the United Kingdom under the Lend-Lease Agreement, she was renamed and launched as Striker, 7 May 1942; redesignated ACV–19, 20 August 1942; delivered to the US Navy, 28 April 1943; and transferred to the Royal Navy, 18 May 1943.

(The name Prince William was subsequently assigned to ACV-31.)

(Map courtesy of Google Maps.)

Western Pipe & Steel Co. (builder's) trials, San Francisco bay, May 1943.

NS0301903a: Same as photo NS0301903, colorized by Yu Chu.

HMS Striker, ex-Prince William (ACV-19), seen 45° off centerline off San Francisco, Calif., May 20, 1943.

Mare Island Naval Ship Yard Ship Files, U.S. National Archives, San Francisco (MINY photo #3773-43).

HMS Striker, with 40-mm Bofors fitted at the stern and in the forward deck-edge gun tubs. The HF/DF mast is prominent before the bridge. Photo courtesy of Ray Burt

Photo and text from Aircraft Carriers of the World, 1914 to the Present: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, by Roger Chesneau.

An undated photo of a Fairey Swordfish of No. 824 Squadron aboard the escort carrier HMS Striker preparing for an anti-submarine patrol, location unknown. This photo gives a good idea of the restricted deck area of a wartime escort carrier. Photo Imperial War Museum.

Photo and text from British Naval Aircraft Since 1912, by Owen Thetford.

An irreparably damaged Swordfish being unceremoniously consigned to the "oggin"—after having been stripped of all useful components for spares. This "burial at sea" was conducted aboard the escort carrier HMS Striker. Photo Les Sayer Collection.

Photos and text from Swordfish: From The Cockpit, by Donald Payne.

A Fairey Swordfish badly damaged after a crash landing aboard the escort carrier HMS Striker is cannibalized for any thing useful before being shoved overboard, circa 1944, location unknown. Photo taken by unknown Royal Navy official photographer. Photo # A 23320 from the collections of the Imperial War Museum.

HMS Fencer (D64) seen from the flight deck of HMS Striker (D12), ex-Prince William (ACV-19), during operations in the Atlantic, February 1944. A Sea Hurricane of 824 Squadron is parked on the aft end of Striker's flight deck. Photo: Richard Webb.

A No. 824 Squadron Swordfish Mk II that came to grief after "doing the splits" on board the escort carrier HMS Striker, April 1944. The aircraft cannot, unfortunately, be positively identified, but it carries an interesting emblem, apparently depicting a mouse jumping over the nose of a cat, on the engine panelling. Photo Ad Hoc Publications.

Photo and text from Swordfish: From The Cockpit, by Donald Payne.

Starboard bow view of HMS Striker (D12) moored off Greenock, Scotland, on 25 February 1944. Worn camouflage shows wear from North Atlantic operations.

Imperial War Museums Admiralty Official Collection, by Beadell, S.J. (Lt), Photo No. © IWM (A 21974).

As seen from HMS Pursuer (D73), HMS Striker (D12), HMS Searcher (D40) in heavy seas off the Norwegian northern coast in April 1944.

Source: Imperial War Museums, Admiralty Official Collection by Davies, F.A (Lt), Photo No. © IWM(A 23066).

As seen from HMS Pursuer (D73), HMS Emperor (D98), HMS Striker (D12) and an unidentified escort destroyer fight heavy seas off the Norwegian northern coast in April 1944.

Source: Imperial War Museums, Admiralty Official Collection by Davies, F.A (Lt), Photo No. © IWM(A 23067).

As seen from HMS Pursuer (D73), HMS Emperor (D98), HMS Striker (D12) and an unidentified escort destroyer fight heavy seas off the Norwegian northern coast in April 1944.

Source: Imperial War Museums, Admiralty Official Collection by Davies, F.A (Lt), Photo No. © IWM(A 23063).

A Fairey Swordfish Mk II of No. 824 Squadron Fleet Air Arm takes off from the escort carrier HMS Striker during an anti-submarine sweep, June 1944. Photo taken by Lt. F.A. Davies, Royal Navy official photographer. Photo ID: A 24499 from the photographic collections of the Imperial War Museum.

A Hawker Sea Hurricane taking off with Fairey Swordfish aircraft alongside during an anti-submarine sweep from HMS Striker (D12).

Photo Lt. F.A. Davies, Royal Navy official photographer. This photograph A 24501 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums. This image was created and released by the Imperial War Museum on the IWM Non Commercial Licence.

Sub-Lieutenant E.C. Godden in Sea Hurricane Mk.IIc, NF674 'R' flies into the barrier after failing to catch a wire, June 7, 1944.

Sub-Lieutenant P.A. Clark in Sea Hurricane Mk.IIc, NF694 'U' Uniform, flies into the barrier after failing to catch a wire, June 13, 1944.

HMS Striker underway in the North Atlantic circa summer 1944. Striker operated in Northern waters between April and October on convoy protection duties.

Shown here is HMS Striker as seen from the British-built escort carrier HMS Vindex during Operation Victual, the passage of Convoy JW59 to Russia, August 1944.

Escort carriers HMS Striker and HMS Vindex astern as seen from the battleship Arkhangel'sk (ex-HMS Royal Sovereign) while en route to Murmansk, Russia. Photo navsource.narod.ru.

Photo and text from Battleships at War: HMS Royal Sovereign and her Sister Ships, by Peter C. Smith.

A Fairey Swordfish Mk II of No 824 Squadron on her nose after a "prang" on board the escort carrier HMS Striker, in August 1944. Photo courtesy Philip Jarrett.

Photo and text from Swordfish: From The Cockpit, by Donald Payne.

HMS Fencer (ex-USS Croatan), left, is painted "as delivered," but HMS Striker (ex-Prince William) has the "false hull" scheme already applied. Both ships have arrived in Australia direct from the U.K. to join the British Pacific Fleet (BPF), early 1945.

HMS Striker (R315) moored in Sydney Harbour in February 1945. Photograph taken from HMS Indefatigable (R7). Author's Collection.

Image scanned from The British Pacific Fleet: The Royal Navy's Most Powerful Strike Force, by David Hobbs (Seaforth Publishing).